THE PETLEY REPORT: NEW ZEALAND RAIDERS READY TO RUMBLE AT ROSEHILL

By Jack Petley | Thursday, April 1, 2021

There will certainly be no more happier person stepping onto the Rosehill Gardens racetrack on Saturday morning that Cambridge trainer Andrew Forsman.

For the past 12 months or so, he and fellow Kiwis have been very much land locked in the Land of the Long White Cloud. But as a Kiwi he is able to enter Sydney and he will do so on arrival on Saturday morning. While he and fellow co-trainer, the masterful Murray Baker haven't been able to watch their Australian runners first-hand they have been in the able care of travelling Foreman Aleisha Legg. "I have got quarantine space booked when I get home," said Forsman, who will take in the Inglis Sales and the Championship races," but hopefully there is a Trans-Tasman bubble by then and I won't do that."

The stable have three-year-old The Frontman and tough stayer The Chosen One running with The Frontman, a brother to Oaks winner Bonneval, at $4.80 for the Tulloch Stakes. And what a wonderful record already in the race for Murray Baker, having won it five times, with Palliser, The Bill, Harris Tweed, Jon Snow and Quick Thinker. Jon Snow and Quick Thinker went on to take the Derby a race the Kiwi has also won five times with Nom De Jeu, Dundeel and Mongolian Khan the others.

And the stable combines yet again with ace Sydney jockey Hugh Bowman, who has enjoyed so much success for the Cambridge yard over the years. He also rides The Chosen One in the Tancred with that stayer at 16-1 in the event with Sir Dragonet heading the market at $5, then the great Jamie Richards trained mare Melody Belle,($6), $6.50 Toffee Tongue, $8.50 Spirit Ridge, Angel of Truth, $10 Mirage Dancer.

The news in the camp though is not as good with Quick Thinker failing in the Manion and having been withdrawn from the Sydney Cup.

Now for news on Melody Belle, who will be ridden by James McDonald in the Tancred. She arrived in Sydney earlier this week and she evidently has settled in ever so well at John Thompson's yard. The daughter of Commands has yet to be tried at 2400 metres but Jamie Richards is confident the trip will present her no problems." I think she has been looking for the distance for some time but we just haven't had the right opportunity to try her at the trip," said Richards.

After Sydney, Melody Belle will head to Queensland and then, I gather, she will be sold by the syndicate which have enjoyed so much success with the mare.

The Mark Newnham filly Harmony Rose has opened up favourite for the Vinery at $ 2.70 followed by $6 Hungry Heart, $7 Personal and then the O'Sullivan-Scott filly Force of Will at $9. Impecunious, who kicked off her career with Team Pittman and is now with the Busuttin-Young yard is at $11 and don't forget her last start third was better than it looked. Damien Oliver is in Sydney for the mount.

The Team Hawkes galloper Rock has been framed as favourite for the Doncaster Prelude at $4.60 just ahead of Yao Dash, $4.

Star sprinter Classique Legend, winner of the Everest for Les Bridge will be back in his stable after he overcomes a smallish bleeding attack in a trial at Sha Tin earlier in the week. The star sprinter trialled well earlier in the week and he looked right back to his best again. But he bled slightly in trackwork the next day. "Very sad," said trainer Casper Fownes.

Kiwi John Sargent said his smart filly Four Moves Ahead had come through her fourth in the Golden Slipper in good order and she will head towards the Sires Produce and perhaps run in the Percy Sykes beforehand. She has been posted at $15 for the Sires and at $6 for the Percy Sykes with Tim Clark to ride.

That fine mare Arcadia Queen has injured a tendon and her campaign for the autumn is over and maybe even her racing career.

Cambridge Stud have announced that both European bred stallions Almanzor and Hello Youmzain will stand at $30,000 plus GST this coming season. and interesting both stallions already are, said Henry Plumptre, “fully booked. “This is a great endorsement for the two stallions," he said. It also shows the returning of confidence of New Zealand breeders to premium domestic stallions.